With Ja Morant rumored to be available for the NBA Trade Deadline, Milwaukee Bucks fans figured it was only a matter of time before the team was linked to him. They were correct. Per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Jim Owczarski (subscription required), Morant is indeed one of the players on the team's radar, and that should terrify Bucks fans.
The Bucks should pull the plug on any Morant interest
What are the Milwaukee Bucks' greatest issues right now? They're bad at rebounding, struggle on defense, and are undersized. A 6-foot-2 guard who would cost two of Milwaukee's bigger players, Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma, in a trade certainly isn't helping the Bucks tackle any of those issues. Adding him would amplify them.
Could the Milwaukee Bucks use another go-to scorer when Giannis Antetokounmpo is catching his breath? Yes. Milwaukee's non-Giannis minutes have been underwhelming. However, thinking that a piece like Morant will magically fix that problem is not the right way to go about it. Morant doesn't fit well within Milwaukee's 3-point-heavy scheme and constantly needs the ball in his hands.
Another reason to stay far away from Morant is the potential asking price. ESPN's Shams Charania, who initially reported that Memphis would listen to trade pitches, stated that rival executives think the Grizzlies will prioritize young players and picks in any deal. The Milwaukee Bucks shouldn't think about putting a single pick on the table, and Ryan Rollins should be untouchable. End of discussion.
Now, it has to be noted that just because Owczarski reported this, it doesn't mean that any deal is imminent. As one executive told NBA insider Jake Fischer (subscription required), "They've thought about everyone," regarding Milwaukee's ongoing search for upgrades. If a player is available, they will put in feelers to see what it might take to get them.
From Anthony Davis, to Zach LaVine, to Dejounte Murray, the Milwaukee Bucks are making plenty of phone calls in advance of next month's deadline. Of the names connected to the team, going after Brooklyn's Michael Porter Jr. makes the most sense by far, given that he is a legitimate small forward who can shoot and rebound the basketball like few others can. The problem is he's in high demand.
It feels inevitable that the Milwaukee Bucks will do something within the next few weeks, but any trade for Morant would be playing with fire.
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